The Department of Defense has approved a plan to detail hundreds of military lawyers to the Department of Justice to serve as temporary immigration judges.
In a memo dated Aug. 27, first reported by the Associated Press, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed the military to begin selecting groups of 150 Defense Department attorneys, both military and civilians, “as soon as practicable” — with the first round of people identified by next week. The move would come close to doubling the country’s total number of immigration judges.
At the request of the Justice Department, the move would last at least 179 days and have the option to be renewed.